Mini Mansions • indie, rock • St. Petersburg

Sunday Sep 7, 2014

Cost:

Ages:

21+

If pure sound had the capability to project images on a blank wall, Mini Mansions would be worthy projectionists. Michael Shuman (from Queens Of The Stone Age) melded heads and locked arms with longtime friends Tyler Parkford and Zach Dawes in a dusty room in the San Fernando Valley. Here, they began a collaborative séance out of which birthed Mini Mansions. Though their triangle is usually confined to piano, bass, and a cocktail drum kit, the LA-based trio generates a Technicolor spectrum of sound drawn from the baroque, gothic, psychedelic, and cinematic realms. Whilst finishing their next record (for Capitol Records) they've taken it upon themselves to play a few special shows for you.

Power-pop trio Mini Mansions floats into Low Spirits (2823 Second Street NW) on the evening of Sunday, Sept. 7. Using informed, ornate melodies fashioned around a minimalist instrumental setup, the group produces songs that have been compared to the output of Elliott Smith, The New Pornographers and even the ancient and ironic mop-tops from Liverpool. Listening to Mini Mansions reveals a brand of rock and roll focused on songwriting rigor and a nuanced attention to surprising hooks and fascinating thematic digressions. Band leader Michael Shuman hails from Queens of the Stone Age, bringing newish cohorts Tyler Parkford and Zach Dawes along for the ride. Their trip verges on the cinematically psychedelic while hewing to a format that’s sure to generate earworms writhing with thick, bright harmonies. Local Thom Yorke/John Lennon/Prince disciple St. Petersburg opens. This 21-plus iteration of the Magical Mystery Tour costs but eight bones. Roll up at 7pm, and begin your journey at 8pm.